The Accessory Princess Diana's Family Has Been Collecting For Hundreds Of Years
The United Kingdom's royal family has captured the attention of many around the world for centuries. While it seems like we know everything about the prestigious family, there have been glimpses into their personal lives that might have some rethinking of what goes on behind royal doors.
While the family is regarded as one of the most influential broods in the world, they have the same interests as us regular folks. One thing, in particular, is their penchant for collecting bizarre objects. Queen Mary of Teck, the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth II, had such an extensive collection of furniture that she wrote her name on every piece.
For Princess Diana's family, royals in their own regard, have taken to collecting walking sticks. This collection isn't new. The Spencer family legacy has been preserving canes for hundreds of years. They have opened up about their collection online, and it is impressive!
The Spencer family has a unique collection
The Spencer family has a special place in pop culture, mostly due to Princess Diana sharing their last name. While the brood is royal in its own right as a British dynasty that dates back to the 16th century, with several royal titles along the way, Diana has become the Spencer with the longest legacy. However, Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, shared that the family has an odd collection that has spanned even longer than the legacy of his royal sister.
In an Instagram post, Charles shared an image of walking sticks with the caption, "Learn the stories behind the collection of rare walking sticks and canes collected by my family over ten generations." He continued, "The earliest dates back more than three centuries, to the celebrated Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough – the matriarch of the Spencer family. Thanks to the dedication of my grandfather, Jack (7th Earl) Spencer, we know many of the stories behind these unusual (and faintly quirky) family heirlooms."
A video of the full collection was posted to the family's YouTube account, where you can get a glimpse into all the canes and walking sticks the Spencers have acquired over several generations.
Now, many collect pieces of Diana's legacy
The Spencer family shared that their collection of canes dates as far back as the mid-1700s. Not only are the heirlooms in their possession historic, but some of them also have royal backgrounds of their own. The family claims that many of these walking sticks have touched the hands of royals — kings and queens alike — over their long and impressive legacies.
While the Spencer family may be interested in starting collections of their own, merchandise paying tribute to Princess Diana has become the fixations of other collectors around the world. Most notably, following her passing, the Ty company released a limited edition Beanie Baby. This royal purple bear dawned a rose on its chest in memory of the late princess. Now, these little bears can go for over $20,000 on collector sites. Other memorabilia, such as magazines from the days following her passing, often get purchased by loyal collectors for high prices.
The Spencer family may be serious collectors in their own right, but some of Diana's fans have an even more impressive assembly of goods centered around a member of the family.